Wheelchair race, pancake toss: Brussels debuts 'Olympics for Seniors'

Reuters Staff

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Brussels hosted its first “Olympics for Seniors” on Tuesday, giving the chance for locals aged between 75 and 96 the chance to compete in a range of adapted sports at the national stadium.

A participant takes part in the wool ball shot put event during the "Olympics for Seniors" at King Baudouin stadium in Brussels, Belgium June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

More than 130 residents of private rest homes took part in activities ranging from throwing a wool ball, tossing a pancake, a music quiz and a wheelchair relay of four times 25 meters.

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In line with Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin’s principle, the important thing was not winning, but taking part.

Brussels and “A Travers les Arts”, an organization working with rest home residents, decided to launch the first edition to promote outdoor activities for elderly people in care and as part of a push to make the Belgian capital more age-friendly.